On Thursday we will be leaving for Curitiba, the capital of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Some of the superlatives from the guide book are: Brazil's highest standards of living, most productive economies, best educated populations, and a pleasant, prosperous place to live. The natural attractions include large swatches of unspoiled rain forest, a pristine coastline whose beaches are the least developed and most idyllic in all of southern Brazil, and Iguaçu Falls. We'll be there for 6 months conducting research in conjunction with the Federal Universidade do Paraná.